Farming for a Small Planet: Agroecology Now

Frances Moore Lappé ()

Development, 2016, vol. 59, issue 3, 299-307

Abstract: Abstract The primary obstacle to sustainable food security is an economic model and thought system, embodied in industrial agriculture, that views life in disassociated parts, obscuring the destructive impact this approach has on humans, natural resources, and the environment. Industrial agriculture is characterized by waste, pollution, and inefficiency, and is a significant contributor to climate change. Within so-called free market economics, enterprise is driven by the central goal of bringing the highest return to existing wealth. This logic leads inexorably to the concentration of wealth and power, making hunger and ecosystem disruption inevitable. The industrial system does not and cannot meet our food needs. An alternative, relational approach—agroecology—is emerging and has already shown promising success on the ground. By dispersing power and building on farmers’ own knowledge, it offers a viable path to healthy, accessible food; environmental protection; and enhanced human dignity.

Keywords: Agroecology; Climate change; Concentrated wealth; Farmer knowledge; Food security; Hunger; Industrial agriculture; Power dispersion; Sustainable farming (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1057/s41301-017-0114-9

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